tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post684660596863797174..comments2015-06-19T11:02:47.759-04:00Comments on OceanicDreams: Watch out for the real shark enemies...Felix Leandernoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-5061094978528888642009-01-29T05:32:00.000-05:002009-01-29T05:32:00.000-05:00If you cheat and lie in business, you will get pro...If you cheat and lie in business, you will get prosecuted and you may end up in jail. When the media cheats and lies "it is business". There are few people like Wolf, who have the guts to say otherwise. We always have an excuse for the networks and the production companies because "it suits their needs". Are we all hypocrites who embrace those double standards just because it is "The Media"?<BR/>Jupp Kerckerinck<BR/>www.sharkprotect.comJupphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373628268057650315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-84161080377510381552009-01-28T15:32:00.000-05:002009-01-28T15:32:00.000-05:00Discovery is a business. RTSea hit it on the head...Discovery is a business. RTSea hit it on the head. The general business model embraced by Discovery is to fund productions that they think will suit their needs. <BR/><BR/>Nat Geo, BBC all the factual programming outlets work the same. To make things more complicated, few productions are now being made that are cot "Co-productions". This means that several production backers need to sign on to fund a give show. Perhaps Discovery and New Zealand... or other interested, but noncompeting companies.<BR/><BR/>So, unfortunately, the networks are buying programming that sells. We are constantly being told to "dumb it down" so many quality ideas are being turned down because they do not have the jaws and claws.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps one answer is to replace fire with fire. See what sells. Speak their language. Sea Shepherd is doing a great job with Whale Wars. The are replacing the biting action with search and rescue action.. and somewhere along the line they are slipping in conservation messages...Imaging Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596242346925689384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-12489064079536328332009-01-28T13:42:00.000-05:002009-01-28T13:42:00.000-05:00Jupp:Spot on!!The Discovery liars and cheaters int...Jupp:<BR/><BR/>Spot on!!<BR/><BR/>The Discovery liars and cheaters interviewed George Burgess as an "expert" on shark attacks in¨"Ocean of Fear" (The Indianapolis File). <BR/><BR/>It was pitiful to hear George commenting on the "worst shark attack" ever - but as you clearly said, participating in such "documentaries" makes you an accomplice of the cheaters and liars.Wolf Leanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10551908280834632513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-9458850515207665532009-01-28T10:36:00.000-05:002009-01-28T10:36:00.000-05:00I think it is a tragedy that the production compan...I think it is a tragedy that the production companies and the networks have to lie to their viewers in order to compete. What kind of a world are we living in, where the liars and cheaters are in charge because they control much of the media and make money with such ridiculous stories? What happened to the truth? I guess it’s not newsworthy anymore.<BR/>Remember the Discovery film “Ocean of Fear”? They didn’t have the decency to tell the truth; instead they were stupid enough to interview some survivors of the USS Indianapolis. Only one of them said that he had seen a sailor get bitten by a shark. Not a dozen and certainly not hundreds. <BR/>I read two books, one by the chief medical officer of the USS Indianapolis Dr. Haynes and one by a guy called Woody. Both were survivors of the tragedy. They mentioned sharks but they too did not talk about massacres by sharks. <BR/>Discovery Channel is fooling their viewers by telling lies to make money and everybody who participates in this, has no conscience either. <BR/>The more people know how Discovery works, the less will take “Shark Week” seriously and hopefully one day they will not have enough viewers left to make their fake “documentaries” worth while.<BR/>I have told many people that Shark Week has nothing to do with the truth and I will continue doing so.<BR/>Jupp Kerckerinck<BR/>www.sharkprotect.comJupphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373628268057650315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-17464292746269898232009-01-27T21:21:00.000-05:002009-01-27T21:21:00.000-05:00Jonathan - you are 100% right, so is Richard (RTSe...Jonathan - you are 100% right, so is Richard (RTSea). <BR/><BR/>I have seen both your movies, and was very impressed. With them you prove that it is possible to avoid the usual sensationalism and completely captivate your audience. <BR/><BR/>Richard - I agree: You show great white sharks swimming coolly and majestically - the way they are when not overly agitated by too much chum and bait. <BR/><BR/>And I will not forget the incredible shots of thresher sharks you had in your documentary, Jonathan. Great movie!!<BR/><BR/>Shark Week is indeed running out of good stories. That is probably the reason they now have to resort to the most ridiculous, sub-standard "Myth Busters" crap.Wolf Leanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10551908280834632513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-711452483809835642009-01-27T20:58:00.000-05:002009-01-27T20:58:00.000-05:00Wolf,When I did my film for Nat Geo Channel on pel...Wolf,<BR/>When I did my film for Nat Geo Channel on pelagic sharks a couple years ago, I had to fight hard with them to keep it scientific and non-sensational. They very much wanted a "shark week-like" program. When it was all said and done, I was pretty happy with how it came out, but clearly the EP was less than thrilled by the lack of sensationalism. It is very hard these days to get a network to buy into a classic-style nature film. I'm not making excuses for these guys--I hate this kind of sensationalism as much as you. Every year they have to out-do themselves, or viewers get bored and move on. The fact is that shark week has been going 20+ years and they have pretty much done everything! The only way to kick it up a notch is to essentially invent ridiculous stories!<BR/><BR/>JonathanJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227164685223997011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-68651602449767236552009-01-27T18:44:00.000-05:002009-01-27T18:44:00.000-05:00Please realize that Discovery acquires very few, i...Please realize that Discovery acquires very few, if any, <I>completed</I> productions. Instead, production companies pitch the networks, the networks buy into the concept (or modify to suit their "audience") and agree to fund it, and the production gets made with considerable input from the networks.<BR/><BR/>So it all works hand in hand. The production companies will tell you that they are simply providing the kind of programming that the networks want.<BR/><BR/>My film, <I>Island of the Great White Shark</I>, was considered last year as possible "alternative programming" but they eventually passed on it. Maybe I should have included the words "shark attack" in the narration!<BR/><BR/>And if dive operators or tourism boards shut out the production companies, remember that Discovery has a 21-year old library of shark programming to draw from.<BR/><BR/>Wolf is right - it's ratings, ratings, ratings. We need to 1.) impact the ratings (If you don't like it, don't watch. If you watched and hated it, you still contributed to the ratings.) and 2.) reach the advertisers (They need to know there is a growing groundswell of public awareness).RTSeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02064644464374515992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7440535585058130391.post-27656206979882350432009-01-27T18:01:00.000-05:002009-01-27T18:01:00.000-05:00That's about as concise as it get's Wolf. Thanks f...That's about as concise as it get's Wolf. Thanks for pointing out a solution. <BR/><BR/>I would agree that a Shark Czar or Shark Group could greatly improve DC production values with sharks.<BR/><BR/>Time will tell if they are serious about enabling these changes. <BR/><BR/>Loosing a shoot site in Fiji was a first step. <BR/><BR/>Supporting operations that DO NOT kowtow to these kind of productions a next.Shark Diverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09624362913061595393noreply@blogger.com